[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When I first heard the news that the Los Angeles Business Journal was accepting nominations for their “Women Making a Difference” awards program, one of my mentors immediately came to mind. The LABJ’s 2016 Women’s Summit program was described as an “empowering event dedicated to honoring the region’s most impressive women,” more than fitting for Anne-Merelie Murrell, owner and chairman of Giroux Glass.
Beyond Anne-Merelie’s contributions to our company, she has countless other accomplishments of which not everyone may be aware. One thing you must know about Anne-Merelie is her humble, unassuming nature that puts others before herself. Knowing this about her, we decided to surprise her with a nomination; and she was genuinely speechless. Here’s what we read aloud to her, while surrounded by all Giroux Glass partners, at a surprise “meeting” we held for her recently….
“Anne-Merelie Murrell exemplifies a woman of dedication, commitment, and loyalty to others. She has not only committed her life to her husband of 66 years, her family, and the Los Angeles community, but to all those with whom she has worked along the way. Anne-Merelie has provided jobs for and supported hundreds of families through her glazing company. She has mentored them, inspired them, and is ultimately gifting the company to them through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. She has empowered her employees at Giroux Glass to dream big, work hard, and grow this gift of ownership. As her business partners, we are grateful to her husband, George, her two children, John and Merelie, her three grandchildren, Spencer, Gilford, and Whitney, and two great granddaughters, Mason and Wesley, for sharing someone so precious with us.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”459″ img_size=”400X450″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”458″ img_size=”400X450″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Here, (left) Anne-Merelie shows her excitement at winning the table raffle at the 2016 Women’s Summit, and (right) Anne-Merelie is surrounded by Giroux Glass partners as she receives the news of her surprise nomination.
While attending the University of Southern California, Anne-Merelie was top of her class. As she strove to continue on to medical school in the 1940’s, a male professor attempted to discourage her by telling her that she should, instead, consider focusing on home life because she was not a man. This incident set Anne-Merelie on a different path. She was not only going to work hard to be successful, she was going to encourage all other women around her to do the same.
Anne-Merelie has always maintained a positive attitude about the benefits of work as it relates to self-accomplishment, starting with her work as a child and teenage actress in a number of Hollywood movies, and then proceeding into her scholastics. When she was just in her mid-twenties, she became President of the Westwood Juniors, which quickly led her to becoming the 4th President of the UCLA Medical Center Board of Auxiliaries, with over 1,000 volunteers under her watch. In this role, she single-handedly originated the idea and then brought into full development (including finding and purchasing the initial property), the UCLA Medical Center Thrift Shop, which continues as a significant entity today in raising non-profit funds for the UCLA Medical Center. After her tenure with the UCLA Medical Center Board, she then served for many years as President of the Los Angeles Volunteer Bureau, which had central oversight for all non-profit organizations in Los Angeles. During this period, she also initiated personal investment and management of some apartment buildings in Culver City. All of the above was accomplished while being a devoted wife and mother of two children.
Ultimately, Anne-Merelie found her passion in real estate. While persuading a building owner to sell her a shopping center, she acquired the company, Giroux Glass, in 1991. She deliberately chose to enter a male-dominated industry and grow the company from a local glass shop to one of the nation’s largest! Around Giroux Glass, she is known to say, ‘Don’t say ‘can’t.’ You WILL find a way. You CAN find a way!’
Anne-Merelie is a person who encourages and empowers those around her. She has found her own personal and financial success as she continues to purchase buildings around Los Angeles in a heroic effort to improve its neighborhoods. This is far from being her only measure of success. Supporting others by offering them an opportunity to find their own success, is truly what brings a smile to her face; and she smiles often.
Anne-Merelie is a true inspiration. She practices what she preaches; she stays humble and continually strives to learn more. Only on a very rare occasion would you catch Anne-Merelie without a book in her hand, or without an aspirant by her side. That is why I nominate Anne-Merelie for the ‘Women Making a Difference Award.'”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]